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So. Character from our world goes to Fantasy version of medieval or even Ancient Greece/Rome world. He want to use Chemical warfare to get ahead.
Can he produce any kind of deadly gas? If so how. Can he produce Gas Mask that will protect against gas he use?
I want him to go underground and deal with enemies in dungeons/caves. Pleas help.

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    $\begingroup$ try to make your question a bit more detailed and focused on one question. Other than that it looks good! $\endgroup$
    – Topcode
    Sep 27, 2020 at 19:55
  • $\begingroup$ read Dr Stone, how to build a gas mask with basically stone age technology. $\endgroup$
    – John
    Sep 29, 2020 at 0:06
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    $\begingroup$ It looks like you're asking about the actions that a character will take in a world that you have already created. Such questions aren't a good fit for this site. $\endgroup$
    – sphennings
    Sep 29, 2020 at 0:49
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    $\begingroup$ This is why Worldbuilding is probably FBI and CIA's favorite site in the Stack Exchange network. $\endgroup$ Sep 29, 2020 at 1:10
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    $\begingroup$ I think you should specify more about time period and location. Otherwise question seems fine to me. $\endgroup$
    – KeizerHarm
    Sep 29, 2020 at 18:51

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Well, to start with, there is already some evidence of chemical warfare in the ancient Roman era. Burning sulfur and bitumen will create a deadly gas that was used by the Persians in 256 CE. https://knowledgenuts.com/2014/02/19/chemical-weapons-got-their-start-in-ancient-rome/

If you're going for a historical approach, your character could be sited as the first person to try this strategy, the Persians then copying it later. Technically, a poisoned arrow counts as a chemical weapon (or possibly biological, depending on the poison). Gypsum powder or limestone dust could also be a sort of tear-gas, assuming sufficient quantity in a good wind. The ancient Chinese were even using airborne arsenic. If your character has magic, this is all the easier. You don't need to rely on the wind, you can just wind-magic your poison gas wherever you want it to go, making it a much more targeted weapon in a wind-less dungeon.

As to a gas mask, generally speaking, a wet cloth is never a bad start. The ancient Greeks used common sponges in that way, so it's entirely reasonable that your character would be able to convince any followers to strap a wet something to their faces for protection. With magic or more advanced materials, a much more effective mask could be crafted, but that would at least buy your character a few minutes.

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If you character knows how to make the gas, I see no reason why he wouldn't be able to make it. Within reason, of course.

Even just burning peppers could be a gas weapon since the smoke will burn your eyes, and would probably be the simplest gas weapon for your character to use. Your character, if smart enough, could probably use medieval technology and/or magic to make gas weapons but they would probably not be as effective. I doubt your character will be able to make grenades with medieval technology, but maybe a friendly mage could collect some gas and compress it into a glass bottle. Depending on how the gas is made, it could be done just with what has already been made available by technology, and the parts that aren't available could be done by magic. So I think that, yes, your character can make gas weapons, but would take time, money, and friendly mages to get it made for instant use.

As for the gas mask part, if magic won't work for this part, any protection is better than none. Even just a burlap sack over your head will help some. Again, magic and available technology should be able to make it for him but will cost time and money, and needs a friendly mage.

Also, if your character doesn't want anyone else to have these weapons, he should hire some mages, make a ton, then kill the mages so they can't reveal the secret of gas weaponry. And when he gets low again hire some more mages and repeat the process.

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Not really

It is not difficult to produce simple irritants or ingestible poisons. It is much more difficult to produce truly deadly airborne substances in sufficient quantities.

Even the simplest agents, like mustard gas, phosgene or hydrocyanic acid require a chemical industry that is not available until the industrial age. A crafty chemist might be able to build a lab and produce all of those substances - but only in small amounts. Chemical warfare requires a significant quantity of any agent to have any measurable effect on the battlefield.

However, if the warfare is conducted in caves, the calculation is different. There, simple irritants and other substances like carbon monoxide could be deadly. The biggest issue here would be for attackers to protect themselves. Fortunately, it won't be that difficult. Activated carbon can protect from most harmful agents and can be made using ancient technology.

Masks as we know them require rubber, which was not available in the ancient world and cannot be easily synthesized. Rubber can be substituted with animal parts, though their quality will be subpar. Either way, one can just keep a breathing tube in one's mouth and do without a mask.

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